Right Between the Eyes
by peaceful village
Summary: Beth Greene loves Daryl Dixon. From basically the moment she met him. Will he ever stop seeing her as a kid, or more than a friend he is teaching to track? She becomes a hunter too, and hits her target every time. Right between the eyes. Beth will catch Daryl too, it just might take some time. And arrows aimed at his head. Rewritten starting season 2.
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing…**

**So I have a lot of fics I never publish, but I asked if you wonderful people wanted me to and here it is.**

**Go easy on me, this is a new genre, and sometimes they might be a little OOC, but I believe they bring out different sides of each other. **

**Enough of that, I hope you like it!**

Beth didn't think of him like that, not at first. At first he was a just a mysterious man who tracked the little girl, and she had a boyfriend. He kept mostly to himself and didn't say much. There was something sad about him, but Maggie had told her that he had lost his brother a while back. She could symphonize with that. There was something intriguing about his face. He probably looked older than he was, life hadn't been easy on him. And that was probably before the world went to hell. Daryl is name was.

"What you lookin' at?" Daryl barked at her one day. He was sitting and making arrows. Beth had been feeding the chickens and walked past him trying to sneak a look. Apparently Beth wasn't being as careful as she thought she was.

"Nothin," Beth said with a blush. "I…I like your crossbow."

_I like your crossbow? Could you been anymore lame_?

"Know how to use one?" Daryl asked and Beth shook her head.

"Good luck today," Beth mumbled, "With the search I mean."

"Thanks," He said and walked past her and got on Nelly. She was about to tell him that Nelly wasn't a good horse to take out, but he made her so nervous that she could barely talk around him. So when he came back after being thrown from the horse she felt guilty, but she thought it best not to say anything. She didn't want Daryl mad at her. Her Dad was cross with him though for taking the horse. He didn't like the strangers making themselves comfortable here. Beth didn't mind. It had been so long since they had met anyone new.

"Brought you this," Beth said coming into his room. She had volunteered to bring up his dinner even though Carol had offered. Beth had reasoned since Carol had made it she should relax. Daryl pulled the sheet higher up covering his bare chest. Beth managed not to blush. "It's good." Beth put the tray down. "I'd ask how you feel, but I already think I know the answer." He didn't say anything. "You are brave you know. Risking your life to bring back the evidence. You were shot with an arrow and a bullet and yet you kept going. You will be the last one standing, out of all of us, you will survive." He just looked at her and Beth couldn't help but blush at his gaze. She had never talked so much in front of him before and if she didn't go now she would keep blabbering. Thankfully Carol showed up to check in on him and Beth left.

"Why are you talkin' to me?" Daryl asked when Beth sought him out and told him about how she went shooting.

"Thought you could use some company seeing as you are bed ridden and all," Beth said with a shrug. "I can go though, and you can keep playing with your arrows." Beth made to get up but Daryl's voice stopped her.

"So how did you do?" He asked.

"I did alright," Beth said, "Nothin' like Andrea, but I think if the time came I would be able to defend myself."

"Why are you hangin around me?" He said again.

"Haven't met many new people, and I don't know…seemed like you could use a friend," Beth said as evenly as she could.

"I don't got friends," Daryl informed her.

"What are you talking about?" Beth questioned, "Rick, Shane, Carol and the rest of them are your friends."

"We look out for each other, but I wouldn't call 'em friends," Daryl said, "Sometimes I think I should go back out on my own."

"Don't," Beth said, "You'll go crazy out there alone, and they are your people. No matter what you say. I better go, chores. I'll come back later with some food." Daryl let out a grunt, so Beth left quickly.

"What's going on there?" Dale asked Daryl later. Daryl was up and walking around now, and Beth had just greeted him with a big smile and a hello. Daryl nodded in her direction, which was more than Daryl ever did for anyone else who greeted him. "She got a crush on you or something?"

"Just isn't used to new people is all," Daryl told him.

Jimmy also questioned her about spending time with Daryl. She gave him the same answer. Just trying to make a new friend in a world where friends are scarce. Really the only thing she did was bring him food and tend to his wounds. Daryl wasn't much of a talker, and when Beth did get him to talk his replies were short.

"Got a surprise," Beth said to him as they walked around the grounds. Or more like Daryl gave in after Beth pouted for five minutes to take a walk with her. She wasn't allowed to go out alone and she was sick of being in the house. Beth pulled something out of her pocket. It was a small bar of chocolate. "A little stale, but it still tastes good. Maggie picked it up on her last run. Thought you deserved it, after

all you've done."

"Damn, forgot how good this stuff is," Daryl said taking a bite.

"You look better," Beth commented.

"Gonna go out lookin for Sophia in a little bit," Daryl said and Beth didn't say anything, "What? Not gonna talk me out of it? Say she is dead like Shane and the others do?"

"No," Beth said, "You have hope, and hope is something we are in desperate need of now. I feel better knowing that if I was lost, you wouldn't give up on me." Beth smiled, but he didn't smile back. Not surprising. Daryl wasn't much a smiler either. He did give her a nudge with his shoulder and they walked in silence for a while.

Beth pulled out her father's checkers set and started playing Carl while Patricia watched. Beth kept looking for Daryl, she wanted to at least get see him before they all left. Soon T-Dog, Andrea, Carol, and Daryl showed up wondering what was going on. Beth had wondered that herself. She thought maybe her dad had changed his mind after he left with Rick and would let them stay. Daryl wanted to know why they were all sitting there when they had a trail that could lead them to Sophia.

When Shane turned up everything went to hell.

Again.

It all happened so fast, but it felt like a lifetime. All Beth knew was that Jimmy was holding her as everyone started shooting the people in the barn. Beth saw her mama come out and wanted to yell for them to stop but all she could do was sob. She saw her Daddy on his knees watching the ciaos unfold. After everyone was shot another walker came out. A little girl. From Carol's reaction Beth guessed it was Sophia. Beth held onto Jimmy tighter. Rick was the one to step forward and shoot Sophia while Daryl held Carol.

Once everything was over Beth felt herself walking over to the bodies. Rick tried to stop her, but Beth ignored him. She had to get to her mother. She moved the body that was covering her mother so she could see her. Half her mother's face was missing. Suddenly her mother started growling and grabbed her hair. Beth started to scream and she felt someone pulling her away. She knew it was Daryl without having to look. T-Dog started bushing her mother's face in while Andrea finally dealt the killing blow with an axe.

Beth's head was spinning as her father and sister led her inside the house. She heard Shane yelling but couldn't make out the words. Once she was inside Beth started to do dishes to distract herself. She felt light headed and soon the world was black.

"What's going on?" Daryl asked as he walked back to the house. He thought he'd check in to make sure Beth's okay before going out again, this time looking for food and not Sophia. But he was trying not to think about that. He also didn't want to think about the fact that he was the one that shot her mother, only he missed the head and Beth almost got bit.

"It's Beth," Lori told him. "She's in shock." Daryl ran into the house and into Beth's room. How he knew which one was hers he'd never know. Patricia was tending to her while Maggie was holding Beth's hand. Jimmy was sitting in a chair next to the bed. Andrea and Glenn were just standing by.

"What the hell happened?" Daryl demanded. He looked at Beth whose eyes were open, but she wasn't looking at anything. "What's wrong with her?"

"She fainted," Andrea told him, "Now she's burning up."

"Can't ya all do somethin?" Daryl said looking back and forth from Maggie to Glenn, but they said nothing. "What about your Dad? Where is he?"

"Gone, Rick and Glenn went after him," Andrea said. Daryl nodded and sat down on the last remaining chair close to the window. He set his crossbow across his lap.

"What are you doing?" Maggie asked.

"Lookin out for her, nothing is gonna get her," Daryl replied, "Not while I'm here."

"Why?" Maggie said and Daryl wasn't that sure himself.

"Beth got it into her head that we were gonna be friends," Daryl told her, "Wanted to tell her to just leave me be, but then she looked at her with those big eyes and…ah hell." Maggie smiled.

"I know that look," Maggie said. "Could never really be mad at her. Even when she pissed me off, Bethy always meant well." Lori came in a moment later and Andrea filled her in. Lori asked to talk to Daryl who reluctantly followed her. Can't they just leave him be? She led him outside where they were alone.

"I need you to run into town and bring Hershel and Rick back," Lori said and Daryl blinked.

"I ain't your bitch to order around," Daryl said, "You already got enough of those. Ain't my fault he decided to go window shopping."

"What's wrong with you?" Lori asked, "You seem to like her, don't you want to help Beth by getting her father back safely?"

"I am helping her," Daryl said, "Girl needs someone watchin' out for her until your husband gets back. Go fetch 'em yourself, until then I am going to sit right up there and make sure nothing hurts her." With that Daryl stomped back up the stairs and sat back down next to Beth's bed.

…

Daryl didn't think he had ever been this angry in his life. Even more than when his brother went missing. How are she? How dare she! How dare Beth try to, what did the CDC doc call it? Opt out? Stupid girl. Andrea had fed him some bullshit about how Beth didn't cut deep enough because she "wanted to live." Didn' change the fact that Beth did it in the first place. Does she understand what her death would cause? What it would do to people like her Dad and her sister? From what Beth told him Beth and Jimmy might not be that serious, but the boy still cared about her.

Now at least he had the new kid to take his anger out on. Beating the shit out of…Randall his name was, sure felt good. Daryl threw another punch that sent the kid to the ground.

"I told you…" He started to say, but Daryl cut him off.

"You told me shit," Daryl said and banged Randall against the wall.

"I barely knew those guys," Randall cried, "I met 'em on the road!"

"How many in your group?" Daryl said and when he didn't answer Daryl got his knife out. The kid started to protest.

"How many!" Daryl shouted coming close to him.

"30, 30 guys!" Randall finally said.

"Where?" Daryl said and the kid said he didn't know. They were never in the same place for over a night. It was only after Daryl dig a knife into one of Randall's former cuts that he really started to talk. It was when Randall told him about what the group he was in did with those teenager girls that Daryl really snapped. All Daryl could think of was that what if Beth had been one of those girls? What if somethin' like that had happened to her? Daryl started punching and kicking the kid even harder. It might not have been Randall who did it, but the bastard just stood by and let 'em rape those girls. Which was worse in some ways.

Daryl walked back to the group with his crossbow strapped to his back. He didn't bother to whip the blood of his hands. His knuckles were raw from punching the kid, but he didn't care. Daryl was used to blood and bruises.

"Boy there's got a gang," Daryl began, "30 men. They have heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead. And our women, they're gonna…they're gonna wish they were."

"What did you do?" Carol asked.

"Had a little chat," Daryl said and started to walk away.

"Maybe you could go see Beth?" Maggie suggested before he was out of sight, "She's been asking about you."

"Yeah, should have thought about that before trying to take the cowards way out," Daryl said and didn't give Maggie a chance to say anything else.

It was only after Dale died that he went to see Beth. She was sitting and reading. Beth twirled a piece of hair with her finger and he could see the bandage on her arm.

"Bracelet with cover the scar," Daryl said or more mumbled and Beth put the book down.

"What?" Beth said with a smile, "I'm sorry I didn't hear you."

"Wear a bracelet," Daryl said, "That way no one can see the scar."

"Oh," Beth said looking at her wrist, "Good idea."

"Know a thing or two about covering scars," Daryl said and thankfully Beth didn't ask why.

Daryl told her what happened while she was out. How Dale got bit and Daryl had been the one to put him down. Took the gun from Rick cause the cop couldn't bring himself to do it. Daryl always did the dirty work. Beth rolled her eyes at that and told him he was more valuable than any of them, and that Rick was lucky he had someone to watch his back like that.

"Funeral is in a little bit," Daryl said, "I haven't been to one of those in a while."

"Your mom?" Beth said and Daryl nodded. He hadn't said much about his past. Only that his Mom died when he was little and he grew up with his shithead Dad and brother.

"Yeah, well, I gotta take a piss," Daryl said and Beth nodded. He always said to get out of uncomfortable conversations. Beth smiled and got out of bed. For the first time in a long time Beth thought it might be an okay day. Well, after the funeral of a sweet and kind man.

Maybe there were no good days left.

Only good people.

…..

**What do you think?**

**Please let me know if you want me to continue to publish this. Just a simple "This doesn't suck keep going" will do! 7 reviews and I will keep goings.**

**Thanks for reading! Again thank god for fanfictions after that episode! I am still not over it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**I own nothing, and if I did all my favorite couples would be together!**

**Thanks to your reviews I decided to post another chapter. Keep the reviews coming! My work is hard, and I am going in again today. The reviews would be a great pick me up! **

** "**Daryl look!" Beth said excited at what she found. She and Daryl had gone ahead to loot from some houses. They found this old hunting lodge and the owner had a lot of equipment. Daryl was stocking up while Beth looked around.

"Not so loud, girl," Daryl said coming closer, "Do you want to alert every walker within 10 miles that we are here?"

"Sorry," Beth said feeling dumb, "But look at this." Daryl blinked. "What? I can't keep using yours? Besides I'll look like Susan Pevensie from _The Chronicles of Narnia_." Daryl blinked, "The _Chronicles of Narnia_? _The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe_, you never read those?"

"Didn' read much growing up," Daryl said rubbing the back of his neck. Beth stiffened. She knew that.

"Well, she was an archer and had a bow like this," Beth told him trying so sound casual. Beth held out the bow and pulled it back to her cheek, just like Susan had. "It's lighter than the crossbow. I like the grip."

"Take it then." Daryl said, "Bout time you had your own."

He been teaching her to track and how to shoot these past few months. Figured he might as well teach someone something about tracking and hunting. Two trackers were better than one, and as Daryl said she had a knack for it. Maggie teased that Beth was Daryl's apprentice, which Daryl thought was hilarious. One of the few times Beth saw him laugh. He said Beth should started calling him "Master" but that wasn't going to happen. With her new bow in hand Beth followed Daryl out of the hunting cabin enjoying the view on her way out.

…

"Put your foot there," Daryl instructed. Beth did as he asked and put her foot on the pedal. They had been on the run for months going from house to house. During a short rest Daryl was finally teaching her something he had promised to do for a while – teach her how to drive. Being on the farm she had driven the tractor a couple times, but a car? Never. Let alone a motorcycle. "Hand there." Beth again did as he instructed.

Carol had told Beth that Daryl must like her a lot to trust her with his precious motorcycle. It had been his brother's. It made Beth's stomach fill with butterflies knowing that he trusted her with something as precious to him as his brother's bike.

Beth's small crush on Daryl had escalated over the last months. The more she got to know him the harder she fell. He was quite a sweet person. He just hid it behind a rough exterior. Daryl didn't mind when she tagged along on hunts and talked his ear off. Daryl still didn't say much, but Carol said he had opened up to Beth more than anyone else, including her.

Daryl probably knew about her crush. Subtlety had never been her strong suit. It was always painful obvious he didn't feel the same way. Daryl was constantly calling her "kid" and "girl." Carol was closer to his age then Beth was. Beth did feel envious of their relationship sometimes. They had been together since the beginning. Beth was still new. As far as Beth knew their relationship wasn't romantic, but that could change. Still Daryl was a good friend, and it made her a little sad that he will never want to be more than that.

"If y'all get distracted you might crash my bike, and that ain't okay, kid," Daryl said breaking Beth out of her thoughts. She blushed.

"Sorry," Beth said and Daryl started to talk again when Rick came over.

"Gotta keep moving," Rick said.

"Can't we stay a minute?" Daryl asked, "There is nowhere for miles."

"I want you to go ahead, see if there is a secure location," Rick requested or more ordered.

"I'll go too," Beth offered. "If nothing we can at least catch some food."

"Alright," Rick said and Beth got off the bike and Daryl got on. Looks like there wasn't going to be a lesson today. Daryl strapped his crossbow to the front of him while Beth put her own bow around her body too.

"What do you see?" Daryl asked as they searched for something to eat. There had been no houses nearby, so hunting it was.

"The footprints are small," Beth said leaning down, "A rabbit maybe?"

"How fresh are the prints?" He went on.

"Pretty fresh I think," Beth said, "The mud is still wet. It would have dried up by now if it wasn't close."

"Good, very good," Daryl said and Beth grinned. "What do you hear?"

"Nothing," Beth said.

"Yeah, which means that whatever was here got scared and ran off," Daryl said and pointed to her left. "Tracks over there too. They were all over the place too which means it was a walker. A couple I think. Whatever game there was is gone or eaten by those sons of bitches."

"So no food," Beth said and Daryl nodded.

"Let's try a little further," Daryl said.

"It'll be dark soon," Beth argued, "We should head back."

"Not till we have something," Daryl said and kept walking knowing Beth would follow. And she would. She would follow him to the ends of the earth. When he let her that is. As much as she liked to hunt, they still never let her go on runs. Beth could hunt with Daryl in the woods nearby, but when it came to going to find supplies Beth was never allowed to go. Her father would have probably let her, but Daryl said no every time.

_"Oh, but Carol is okay?" Beth questioned after she was shot down again for a run. She didn't even care that she sounded like a jealous girlfriend. Beth was too mad for that. She was 17 for god's sake! Nearly 18! She was not a child! _

_ "Yes, she is," Daryl said matching her hard tone, "Now go on. Watch over everyone." Beth glared at him, but ultimately gave in. _

_ "Fine," Beth said and stomped away._

_ "Great," Daryl said to himself as he watched her leave. She was going to be pissed at him for a while for not letting her go…again. Daryl could feel everyone's eyes on him. He turned around and barked, "What?" _

_ "Damn, that girl has got it bad for you," T-Dog said. _

_ "That's bullshit," Daryl said holding in his embarrassment, "Just teaching her some stuff, nothing big."_

_ "I've lost count of how many times I've caught her staring at your arms, ever notice she is always walking behind you? That ain't because she needs you to protect her." T-Dog said._

_ "She's a kid," Daryl said and could feel his neck heatin up. _

_ "There are no kids anymore," Carol spoke up._

_ "So do you all want to stand here and gossip like fucking housewives or are we going to do this?" Daryl stomped away just like Beth had. _

Back in the present Beth and Daryl caught a couple squirrels for some stew, but that was it. There was nothing much left in the forest, so this was not a good place to stop. But when they got back, Rick was real excited about something. Apparently when he and Carl were on patrol they came across a prison. It had strong walls and a fence. It could be home. A safe place for them to stay and for Lori to have a baby. They could all have a life again! Beth smiled at Daryl who gave her a half smile in return. He was still hesitant. Daryl didn't believe in safe. To him there was no safe anymore. Beth didn't believe that. They could find happiness again. They had too. It was what kept her going.

…

Beth shot at the walkers from her place behind the fence. She wished she could be up there with Daryl and Carol, but was told no and to stay safely behind the fence. No matter how good she got at shooting, arrows or bullets, some of them still thought of her as that naïve girl that tried to kill herself. The bracelets might cover the scar, but not the memories.

"We haven't had this much space since we left the farm!" Carol said gleefully as they walked onto the grounds after clearing the yard. T-Dog was cheering behind them.

"You ever been in a place like this before?" Beth asked after catching up with Daryl.

"You askin' if I ever been in jail?" Daryl said his voice hard. Beth looked away from him. "No, never been." Beth wanted to say more, but held back. By his tone she could tell Daryl wasn't in the mood to share. It was best not to push him. The last time Beth did that he didn't speak to her for two days.

They set up a fire and cooked the game she and Daryl had caught earlier. It wasn't much, and everyone made sure Lori had a bigger serving. Now that they settled here going for supply runs would be easier because they had a steady place to go back to. Beth looked back at Daryl who was keeping watch. Carol had joined him. Beth felt the familiar feeling of jealously in her belly and wanted to hit something when she saw Daryl start to rub Carol's shoulder. Beth looked away quickly.

"Bethy, sing _Paddy Reilly_ for me," Hershel requested, "I haven't heard that I think, since your mother was alive."

"Daddy, not that one please," Maggie said which Beth was thankful for. She wasn't up for singing her mother's favorite song right now.

"How about "_The Parting Glass_"? Hershel said.

"No one wants to hear," Beth told her father.

"Why not?" Glenn spoke up. So Beth started to sing. It had been awhile. She hadn't had much to sing about as of late. Her voice felt rusty, but she kept singing. After a while Rick, Carol, and Daryl walked back to the fire. Beth made a point not to look at Daryl and looked at Maggie who joined in with her.

"Beautiful," Hershel said when the song was over. Rick didn't even wait a second before telling them they had a big day tomorrow.

"What do you mean?" Carl asked.

"Look, I know we're all exhausted," Rick began, "This was a great win. But we've got to push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners. Looks like this place fell pretty early." Everyone listened how Rick went on to say what a gold mine this place was.

"We're dangerously low on ammo," Hershel pointed out, "We'd run out before we make a dent."

"That's why we have to go in there…hand to hand," Rick said, "After all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it. These assholes don't stand a chance." Rick got up and walked away with Lori following him. Their relationship had been rocky ever since Rick told them that he'd killed Shane. He blamed Lori. If Lori hadn't had the affair she wouldn't have given Shane hope, and he wouldn't have gone nuts. Daryl wasn't like that. He would be loyal until the end. Loyalty was something Shane didn't know much about. Not like Daryl. Beth was glad Daryl was second in command now. For the first time that night she looked at him, but he was sitting next to Carol so she focused on her father instead. She didn't want Daryl thinking she was jealous or something, even though the green monster was growling pretty badly at the sight of them.

Her cell was gross, but Beth didn't care. It was no worse than some of the others places they had stayed in since they left the farm. Carl had followed her in and made it look like he wanted to share the cell with her until Hershel showed up. Carl left pretty quickly after that. Beth knew he liked her, and he was really sweet, just not for her. Beth didn't think about age because she was closer to Carl's age than Daryl's. Carl was a good friend, but Beth's affections lay elsewhere.

"What do you mean stay here?" Beth said when Rick shot down her attempt to go with them to secure the rest of the prison, Carl she could understand but why her? "Maggie gets to go!"

"She's older," Her father reasoned.

"Age means nothing!" Beth said getting wound up. "I am a good shot, and arrows are quiet. You need me!"

"We do," Daryl said coming forward, "We need you here. If something were to happen to us you and the kid would need to lead on. Okay? " Beth nodded and let them leave. Carol put her hand on her back after Carl closed the gate and the group walked away. Beth sat down on her new bed still upset that she was being left out. Lori walked in and sat next to her.

"They mean well," Lori assured her, "Just trying to protect you, that's all."

"I don't need protecting," Beth said.

"Well, than I need you to protect me, me and the baby," Lori said trying to make her feel better, "I feel a hell of a lot safer knowing I have you here looking out for me. Okay?" Beth nodded.

…

"Open the door!" They heard Rick cry sometime later, "It's Hershel!" Carl went into action and opened the gate. T-Dog, Maggie, and Glenn rolled her father in on a table.

"Daddy!" Beth cried out and moved out of the way so they could bring him in. Beth could feel Lori's arms around her as they watched Carol try and stop the bleeding. Hershel had gotten bit and to stop it from spreading they had chopped his led off. Or part of his leg. Beth looked around and saw that Daryl wasn't with them. Her heart starting racing even more.

"Daryl?" Beth said to her sister.

"He's fine," Maggie said and Beth let out a breath. Beth went back to looking at her father and could only stand and watch as Carol tried to save his life. Beth tried to focus on her father, but her mind kept going back to Daryl. He was with the prisoners. Beth hoped he was okay. With her father lookin' like he did, Beth didn't think she could bare to lose them both.

…

**What did you think? A little choppy and fast I know, but do you think I am making Daryl and Beth too OOC? **

**So when I should have been sleeping, I had another Beth and Daryl story idea. It is a plot I have used before, but I love it! Goes like this: Daryl and Beth were together, everything was happy and cool, until Merle got out of jail and wanted to leave town. Daryl felt like he had to go with him and left. Some years later he came back, but was too scared to come see her. I don't want to give too much away, but it that something anyone would like to read?**

**Let me know!**


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